Manufactured Lean in the USA

Rollability Tips

Ergonomic considerations are always top of mind. As the U.S. workforce ages and workmen's compensation costs climb, selecting a caster with high rollability is a smart choice to reduce stress on joints, prevent back injuries, and better accommodate staff. Wheel size is the single biggest factor in rollability. Larger wheels are easier to push or pull under load. Test data is available to determine what size and tread type is best for any given load and ergonomic parameters.

Capacity Selection Tips

Be sure to add the weight of the cart, trailer, or AGV in addition to the weight of the load. Also consider the possibility of overload, shock loading, abuse or poor floor conditions into your calculation. Then it may seem obvious to divide the maximum load weight by four casters, but this can lead to heavy miscalculations. Why? Because most loads don't maintain an even weight across the length and width of the vehicle. An off-center load could overload even the most durable casters.

Shock Loading Tips

Shock loading occurs when a load is dropped onto the trailer. Or when a rig rolls over a bump, like a concrete joint, door jam, dock plate or leveler. In some cases, shock loading can force a wheel to bear more than three times the weight of the load.

Operating Environment Tips

Where is it rolling? Environmental conditions must be considered when choosing a caster or wheel. For example, if excessive noise is an issue, Hamilton offers quiet-rolling wheels with high load capacities. Extremely hot or cold applications may require special caster and wheel materials, and bearing lubricants, to withstand the conditions.

Abuse Tips

Abuse takes a toll on casters. We like to believe that everyone uses them as intended, but we also understand that's not always the reality. Sometimes workers move too quickly, take short cuts, or even take out frustrations on them. Keep this in mind when selecting equipment.

The Effects on Floors

Poor floor conditions can cause a caster or wheel to fail, but don't underestimate the effect wheels can have on floors, too. Very hard wheels, such as cast iron or forged steel, roll easily and carry higher capacities than resilient tread wheels. But, they can damage concrete floors and lead to costly repairs.

Rollability Tips

Ergonomic considerations are always top of mind. As the U.S. workforce ages and workmen's compensation costs climb, selecting a wheel with high rollability is a smart choice to reduce stress on joints, prevent back injuries, and better accommodate staff. Wheel size is the single biggest factor in rollability. Larger wheels are easier to push or pull under load. Test data is available to determine what size and tread type is best for any given load and ergonomic parameters.

Capacity Selection Tips

Be sure to add the weight of the cart, trailer, or AGV in addition to the weight of the load. Also consider the possibility of overload, shock loading, abuse or poor floor conditions into your calculation. Then it may seem obvious to divide the maximum load weight by four wheels, but this can lead to heavy miscalculations. Why? Because most loads don't maintain an even weight across the length and width of the vehicle. An off-center load could overload even the most durable wheels.

Shock Loading Tips

Shock loading occurs when a load is dropped onto the trailer. Or when a rig rolls over a bump, like a concrete joint, door jam, dock plate or leveler. In some cases, shock loading can force a wheel to bear more than three times the weight of the load.

Operating Environment Tips

Where is it rolling? Environmental conditions must be considered when choosing a wheel. For example, if excessive noise is an issue, Hamilton offers quiet-rolling wheels with high load capacities. Extremely hot or cold applications may require special wheel materials, and bearing lubricants, to withstand the conditions.

Abuse Tips

Abuse takes a toll on wheels. We like to believe that everyone uses them as intended, but we also understand that's not always the reality. Sometimes workers move too quickly, take short cuts, or even take out frustrations on them. Keep this in mind when selecting equipment.

The Effect on Floors

Poor floor conditions can cause a wheel to fail, but don't underestimate the effect wheels can have on floors, too. Very hard wheels, such as cast iron or forged steel, roll easily and carry higher capacities than resilient tread wheels. But, they can damage concrete floors and lead to costly repairs.

Before any of our casters operate in the field, they must survive the Hamilton gauntlet. Our latest caster-testing machine runs 24/7, simulating real-life conditions to ensure our products withstand the rigors of manufacturing’s toughest industries.

It all starts with the test machine that packs a servo hydraulic, modular test frame. Our engineers program conditions for each caster to see how it stacks up. They test for swivel ability, roll ability, impact and any extreme situation a caster might encounter in the real world. This way we know exactly how to rate each caster in terms of load capacity and durability, which also leads to improved designs.

Last year when we rolled out our Hamilton Precision Integrated (HPI™) swivel technology, we knew we had built the most durable and rugged casters in the industry. As expected, HPI™ is proving to be extremely durable under intentionally abusive conditions – 25% excess capacity and constant swiveling 24/7 for more than 10,000 cycles.

The Machine That Never Stops Spinning

As for the machine itself, there isn’t much it can’t do. It plays a vital role in our designs and it allows our engineers to push the limits of caster design. When we ship a product, we know it will outlast the competition.

But there’s no rest for the machine. Right now it’s testing a caster to see if it can handle 5,500 cycles for 22 hours a day under extreme pressure. We think the caster will turn out just fine.

Every day our trucks tackle manufacturing’s heftiest, grittiest jobs around the world. National defense depends on them, oil companies can’t drill without them and football fans chug cold ones thanks to Hamilton. That’s why this year we’re expanding our truck and trailer business. Here’s a sneak peek.

For the Biggest Hauls, Choose Hamilton
The demand for trucks has increased each year, especially for heavy-duty jobs. We’re one of the few companies with the structure and resources to support massive, custom designs. We plan to build even bigger trucks and more of them.

“For years we’ve had a focus on the caster and wheel side,” said Mark Lippert, vice president of marketing. “Now we plan to see the same results on the material handling side.”

Durability Minus the Fat
By removing unneeded parts from some of our truck designs, we’ll build faster and reduce overall costs. And they’ll still be just as durable as every product from Hamilton Caster. We’re committed to building the most durable trucks in the industry.

New Truck Site on the Horizon
We’re launching a new site this year dedicated to our trucks and trailers. Look for teasers here in The Revolution.

If a trolley’s wheels are destroying tracks at your water plant, it’s time to call Hamilton Caster. That’s what this end user did after they discovered the crime scene.

To solve the problem, we created custom V-grooved Nylast wheels that don’t wear down surfaces like their metal counterparts. The wheels sides are reinforced with two 1/8” thick steel plates to provide stability. They were designed specifically for the environment and load-bearing needs.

The nylon wheel material also provides a much quieter operation. For that, employees at the factory are thankful.

Want to learn more about Hamilton’s custom products? Give one of our experts a call, 888-435-1484, or check out our online portfolio.

When you watch the Giants take on the Patriots in Super Bowl 46, pay close attention to the coin toss. If your team wins it, cringe. Their fate may have been sealed by the flip of a coin.

Historically, the team that wins the coin toss is more likely to lose the game. Of the 45 Super Bowls, the winner of the coin flip has won 22 times and lost 23. Of course, it’s all superstition and most argue the coin toss doesn’t matter because it’s completely random.

Here are some more quirky facts about the Super Bowl coin toss, from Yahoo! Sports.

• The NFC division has won the toss 31 times while the AFC has only won 14.

• The NFC is on a hot streak, winning – incredibly – the last 14 coin flips.

• The coin has landed heads 24 times and tails 21.

As an added bonus, you could win a free pizza from Papa John’s if you predict the coin toss. Check out their website for details.

Add up the total load capacity of all the products we ship Pronto® and you’ll end up with more than 5,000 tons, or 10,651,450 lbs. – enough to fill five massive ships. That’s a lot of capacity for the thousands of casters and wheels we ship the same day, and two to three days for trucks. Curious about which products ship Pronto®? Just look for the red star next to any model on our website. After all, we have more than 14,000 parts ready to ship same day.

It’s a new year, so maybe it’s time to change some of your old ways to boost your productivity. Here’s some advice from the Harvard Business Review on things you should stop doing. Give them a shot and you might have some added success in 2012.

1. Responding immediately to things you don’t need to. Checking email compulsively leads to burnout and lost productivity. Author Dorie Clark encourages you to check email every 90 minutes and focus on your current work. Very little requires immediate response, she says.

2. Work that isn’t worth your time. Do you work with a customer who sucks up a lot of time for very little gain? They might not be worth it if you waste time stressing over them.

3. Reading pointless publications. If you subscribe to 10 different trade magazines and 12 different e-newsletters, it’s probably time to unsubscribe. Decide which ones you absolutely need, and send the rest packing. Just don’t cut us loose!